A. Purpose Statement: The purpose of the RMF-30 Low Density Multi-Family Residential District is to provide area in the city for various multi-family housing types that are small scale in nature and that provide a transition between single-family housing and larger multi-family housing developments. The primary intent of the district is to maintain the existing physical character of established residential neighborhoods in the city, while allowing for incremental growth through the integration of small scale multi-family building types. The standards for the district are intended to promote new development that is compatible in mass and scale with existing structures in these areas along with a variety of housing options. This district reinforces the walkable nature of multi-family neighborhoods, supports adjacent neighborhood-serving commercial uses, and promotes alternative transportation modes.
B. Uses: Uses in the RMF-30 Low Density Multi-Family Residential District, as specified in section 21A.33.020, "Table Of Permitted And Conditional Uses For Residential Districts", of this title, are permitted subject to the general provisions set forth in section 21A.24.010 of this chapter and this section.
C. Multiple Buildings on a Single Parcel: More than one principal building may be located on a single parcel, without all having public street frontage, provided that all other zoning requirements are met. Where new principal buildings do not have public street frontage, design standards applicable to street facing facades in Chapter 21A.37 of this title shall be applied to the building face where the primary entrance is located.
D. Lot Width Maximum: The width of a new lot shall not exceed one hundred and ten feet (110'). Where more than one lot is created, the combined lot width of adjacent lots within a new subdivision, including area between lots, shall not exceed one hundred and ten feet (110').
E. Density Bonus: To encourage the preservation of existing structures, bonus dwelling units may be granted when an existing principal structure is retained as part of a project that adds at least one additional dwelling unit on the same lot pursuant to the following:
1. A density bonus may only be requested at the time of filing for a building permit application to add at least one additional unit on a lot where that unit meets the minimum lot area requirement.
2. One (1) bonus unit may be granted for retaining an existing single or two-family structure and two (2) bonus units for retaining an existing multi-family structure.
3. A bonus unit may be added within or attached to the existing principal structure or as a separate building provided that all other applicable zoning requirements are met. Bonus units are not subject to minimum lot area requirements.
4. The addition of a bonus unit to an existing principal structure does not change the building type of the existing structure.
5. Bonus units are exempt from off-street parking requirements.
6. The exterior building walls and roofline of the existing principal structure must be retained to obtain a bonus unit; however, architectural elements such as window openings and doorways may be modified; dormers may be added; and additions to the rear of the structure are allowed.
7. Any density bonus granted will be documented through a zoning certificate in accordance in Chapter 21A.08. The zoning certificate will be issued by the Building Services Division once the bonus unit has passed its final building inspection. The certificate will indicate that this unit was established through the preservation of the existing structure on the site.
F. RMF-30 Building Types: The permitted building types are described in this subsection. Each building type includes a general description and definition. These definitions in Section 21A.24.120F shall prevail over those in the definitions in Chapter 21A.62 of this title as applied to this section.
1. Single-Family Dwelling: A detached residential structure that contains one (1) dwelling unit. The structure has an entry facing the street, a front porch or landing, and a front yard.
2. Two-Family Dwelling: A residential structure that contains two (2) dwelling units in a single building. The units may be arranged side by side, up and down, or front and back. Each unit has its own separate entry directly to the outside. Dwellings may be located on separate lots or grouped on one lot.
3. Cottage Development: A unified development that contains a minimum of two (2) and a maximum of eight (8) detached dwelling units with each unit appearing to be a small single-family dwelling with a common green or open space. Dwellings may be located on separate lots or grouped on one lot.
a. Additional Development Standards for Cottage Building Forms:
(1) Setbacks Between Individual Cottages: All cottages shall have a minimum setback of eight feet (8') from another cottage.
(2) Area: No cottage shall have more than eight hundred and fifty square feet (850 ft2) of gross floor area, excluding basement area.
(3) Building Entrance: All building entrances shall face a public street or a common open space.
(4) Open Space: A minimum of two hundred fifty square feet (250 ft2) of common, open space is required per cottage. At least fifty percent (50%) of the open space shall be contiguous and include landscaping and walkways or other amenities intended to serve the residents of the development.
(5) Parking: A minimum of one (1) off street parking space per unit is required.
b. Cottage Units on Individual Lots without Public Street Frontage: Lots without public street frontage may be created to accommodate cottage developments without planned development approval per the following standards.
(1) Required setbacks in Table 21A.24.120G shall be applied to the perimeter of the cottage development as opposed to each individual lot within the development. The front and corner yards of the perimeter shall be maintained as landscaped yards.
(2) Lot coverage shall be calculated for the overall development as opposed to each individual lot within the development.
(3) Required off street parking stalls for a unit within the cottage development is permitted on any lot within the development.
(4) A final subdivision plat is required for any cottage development creating individual lots without public street frontage. The final plat must document the following:
(A) The new lots have adequate access to a public street by way of easements or a shared driveway.
(B) A disclosure of private infrastructure costs for any shared infrastructure associated with the new lots per Section 21A.55.110 of this title is submitted with the preliminary subdivision plat.
4. Row House: A series of attached single-family dwellings that share at least one common wall with an adjacent dwelling unit and where each unit's entry faces a public street. A row house contains a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of six (6) residential dwelling units in order to maintain the scale found within the RMF-30 zoning district. Each unit may be on its own lot, however, each lot must have frontage on a public street unless approved as a planned development.
5. Sideways Row House: A series of attached single-family dwellings that share at least one common wall with an adjacent dwelling unit and where each unit's entry faces a side yard as opposed the front yard. A sideways row house contains a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of six (6) residential dwelling units in order to maintain the scale found within the RMF-30 zoning district. Each unit may be on its own lot.
a. Additional Development Standards for Sideways Row House Building Forms:
(1) Setbacks: Setbacks shall be applied as depicted in Reference Illustration 21A.24.120B. The interior side yard setbacks shall be ten feet (10') on one side and six feet (6') on the other. A sideways row house is not subject to Subsection 21A.24.010H of this section regarding buildings with side entries.
(2) Front Building Entry: The unit adjacent to a public street shall have its primary entrance on the street facing façade of the building with an entry feature per Chapter 21A.37 of this title.
(3) Garage Doors: Garage doors are prohibited on the façade of the building that is parallel to, or located along, a public street.
(4) Required Glass: Ground and upper floor glass requirements shall apply per Section 21A.37.060 and Table 21A.37.060 of this title to the front and each interior façade of a sideways row house.
b. Sideways Row House Units on Individual Lots without Public Street Frontage: Lots without public street frontage may be created to accommodate sideways row houses without planned development approval per the following standards:
(1) Required setbacks shall be applied to the perimeter of the row house development as opposed to each individual lot within the development. The front and corner side yards of the perimeter shall be maintained as landscaped yards.
(2) Lot coverage shall be calculated for the overall development as opposed to each individual lot within the development.
(3) Required off street parking for a unit within the row house development is permitted on any lot within the development.
(4) A final subdivision plat is required for any row house development creating individual lots without public street frontage. The final plat must document the following:
(A) The new lots have adequate access to a public street by way of easements or a shared driveway.
(B) A disclosure of private infrastructure costs for any shared infrastructure associated with the new lots per Section 21A.55.110 of this title is submitted with the preliminary subdivision plat.
F = Front Yard Adjacent to a Public Street
S = Side Yard
R = Rear Yard
6. Multi-Family Residential: A multi-family residential structure containing at least three (3) dwelling units that may be arranged in a number of configurations. A maximum of eight (8) dwellings units are allowed in each multi-family residential building.
7. Tiny House: A detached residential structure that contains one (1) dwelling unit with a permanent foundation that is four hundred square feet (400 ft2) or less in usable floor area excluding lofted space. The structure has a single entry facing the street, an alley or open space on a lot, but shall not face an interior property line.
a. Additional Development Standards for Tiny House Forms:
(1) Balconies and Decks: Balconies and decks shall not exceed eighty square feet (80ft2) in size when located above the ground level of the buildings and shall be located a minimum of ten feet (10') from a side or rear yard lot line unless the applicable side or rear yard lot line is adjacent to an alley.
(2) Rooftop Decks: Rooftop decks on tiny houses are prohibited.
(3) Parking: A minimum of one (1) off street parking space per unit is required.
8. Non Residential Building: A building that houses a non-residential use either permitted or permitted as a conditional use in the RMF-30 zoning district.
G. RMF-30 Building Type Zoning Standards:
To view Table 21A.24.120.G in PDF, click here.
Building Regulation
|
Building Type
| ||||||||
Single-Family Dwelling | Two-Family Dwelling | Multi-Family Residential | Row House1 | Sideways Row House1 | Cottage Development1 | Tiny House1 |
Non Residential Building | ||
Building Regulation
|
Building Type
| ||||||||
Single-Family Dwelling | Two-Family Dwelling | Multi-Family Residential | Row House1 | Sideways Row House1 | Cottage Development1 | Tiny House1 |
Non Residential Building | ||
H | Height | 30' | Pitched Roof-23' Flat Roof-16' | 16' | 30' | ||||
F | Front yard setback | 20' or the average of the block face | |||||||
C | Corner side yard setback | 10' | |||||||
S | Interior side yard setback | 4' on one side 10' on the other | 10' | 4' | 6' on one side 10' on the other | 4' | 10' | ||
R | Rear yard | Minimum of 20% lot depth, need not exceed 25' | 10' | Minimum of 20% lot depth, need not exceed 25' | |||||
L | Minimum lot size2 | 2,000 sq. ft. per dwelling unit | 1,500 sq. ft. per dwelling unit | 5,000 sq. ft. per building | |||||
DU | Maximum Dwelling Units per Form | 1 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 8 per development | 1 | n/a | |
BC | Maximum Building Coverage | 50% | |||||||
LY | Required Landscaped Yards | The front and corner side yards shall be maintained as landscape yards. | |||||||
LB | X | X | X | ||||||
G | Attached Garages | Garage doors accessed from the front or corner side yard shall be no wider than 50% of the front facade of the structure and set back at least 5' from the street facing building facade and at least 20' from the property line. Interior side loaded garages are permitted. | |||||||
DS | Design Standards | ||||||||
Notes:
1. See Subsection 21A.24.120F of this title for additional standards
2. Minimum lot size may be calculated for a development as whole as opposed to each individual lot within a development.
H. Additional Lot Area Requirements: No minimum lot area is required for public or private natural open space and conservation areas; public pedestrian pathways, trails, greenways, parks and community gardens; or, public or private utility transmission wires, lines, pipes, poles, and utility buildings or structures.
I. Accessory Uses, Buildings, And Structures: All accessory uses, buildings, and structures shall comply with the applicable standards in Chapter 21A.40 and Section 21A.36.020 of this title. (Ord. 12-24, 2024: Ord. 68-22, 2022: Ord. 66-13, 2013: Ord. 12-11, 2011: Ord. 62-09 §§ 5, 8, 2009: Ord. 61-09 § 6, 2009: Ord. 88-95 § 1 (Exh. A), 1995: Ord. 26-95 § 2(12-11), 1995)